She doesn't cook, is known to drop an occasional F-bomb or 10, and she has worn many different political hats, but former Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman and Rep. Allison Tant's greatest job is that of mom to 5 kids. Next time you are in Tallahassee during the legislative session and run into Rep. Tant, whatever you do, don't let her hold on to your cellphone or car keys.
According to Tant's family, she tends to misplace those items'
Name: Allison Tant (Twitter)
Political Party: Democrat
Position: State Representative, 9
Elected: 2020
Committees: Health & Human Services —Full committee
Health Finance & Facilities Subcommittee
Public Integrity & Elections Committee
Agriculture & Environment Appropriations Subcommittee Post-Secondary Education & Lifelong Learning Committee State Legislative Redistricting Subcommittee
Former:
Aide to 2 House members (Mark Gibbons & Brian Rush) and 1 Senator: Maddox
Hair Legislative Liaison for the Department of Business & Professional Regulation
Governmental Consultant, Steel Hector & Davis
Governmental Consultant, Holland & Knight State
Party Chair, Florida Democratic Party
Former Board Chair, Children’s Home Society
Founder and Former Board Chair, former board member, Independence Landing
Founder and Former Board Chair Keys to Exceptional Youth Success
Former Board member of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Big Bend, and former big sister
Former Leon County Exceptional Student Education Advisory Council chair and member Actively engaged in multiple community organizations.
Born: 07/18/1961
Spouse: Barry
Children: twins: Jonathan & Jeremy, daughter Danielle Richard, Bonus kids Todd & Brooke Richard, 2 grandchildren: Sophie & Jonah Richard
Education: Florida State University BS and BA, 1993
Major: Public Relations/ Communications (BS), Psychology (BA) Policy Goal(s)/ Top Issues :
Disability issues: Ensuring that policies pass which reform the way we treat, provide services to, and educate people with disabilities. One of my twins has a developmental disability: Williams Syndrome. I have dedicated the last 20 years of my life to forging new pathways for people with disabilities and I want every family to have the resources that my son has had. Please see hb 173 and SB 714 for the bills that I was pleased to pass the last session. And HB 15 that I have filed so far, for this session.
Protecting our water: The Wakulla Springs Basin starts in the heart of Tallahassee and goes up into Georgia. The Aquifer that feeds this basin is the largest aquifer in the world and needs to be protected and valued.
Investing in our State Parks: please see the legislation I was pleased to pass the last session creating a license plate to fund infrastructure repairs and improvements to our state parks.
Education: Tallahassee is the home of 3 colleges and universities. It is my priority to ensure that they have the resources they need to provide the best education possible for their students with an eye on the fact that cutting budgets results in professor layoffs which results in a direct impact to the Tallahassee economy. lMy other priority in education is to work to ensure that all public dollars spent on schools, school children and school teachers in my area is spent efficiently and correctly with accountability and transparency.
Teachers should be certified, measures of success should be identical across all schools, and standards for student progression should be identical across all schools, public and private. Finally, in regards to education, I am a strong believer in vocational education as well as adult education and am working on initiatives to make sure that we can help our workforce grow with access to adult education on worksites so that workers can complete their GEDs. Additionally, I have worked closely with TCC and with Lively Technical College on educational and workforce paths for people with disabilities.
Local Business: I’m a strong supporter of small, independent and family-owned businesses including farms in my area. We don’t have large corporations in Tallahassee (though we have an amazon fulfillment center moving here which will I am particularly protective of our smaller businesses and bring that lens to policy considerations.
Health Care: There has never been a time when health care has not been more important. Adequate funding for hospitals and professionals, and access to health care for Floridians is paramount. Our doctors and nurses should be considered heroes and not vilified. Our hospitals, their medical staff and professionals deserve our gratitude. I am also a proponent of drawing down as many designated federal dollars as possible to keep our hospitals operational.
Dream Job: Being a mother. Which I am privileged to be.
Favorite Movie: Moulin Rouge
Favorite Quote: “Fill up your life with so much positive, there is no room for negative” My Dad
Favorite Sport/Team: Noles
Favorite Color: Blue
Favorite Music: Rhythm & Blues, Hip-hop and Gospel
Favorite Band/Song: ARETHA FRANKLIN: Respect, Chain of Fools, natural woman. I can go on and on and on
What is your family’s constant complaint about you? I
don’t close cabinets or drawers. And I lose my keys, glasses and phone ALL the time.
In your words, how would you describe the U.S. Congress/State Legislature/ Executive Office?
A privilege, an honor and deliberate service
What is something funny/embarrassing that has happened to you?
TOOOOOOO many to write about. All self-inflicted!
Tell us more about yourself, anything:
I am a klutz. I am prone to dropping a salty word or two. When one of my sons was 3, he found my swear jar and asked me what it was. I told him i was supposed to put money in
it when I used a bad word. He shook it and looked at me funny….and said, why is it empty????? And, my other son, the one with developmental disabilities was required to learn how to cook for a program I started. He told me I was going straight to hell for making him do the program. I told him maybe so, but not for that. He glared at me: you don’t cook, why do I have to?
Busted. Both times.
